Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad

This Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad is one of my favorite pasta salads for an outdoor BBQ, picnic, or tailgating party and has been lightened up by reducing the sugar in the sweet and tangy dressing!

I created this recipe as part of a sponsored series with Socialstars and SPLENDA® Brand; all opinions are my own. #SweetSwaps #SplendaSweeties

With Labor Day around the corner, I am looking forward to outdoor grilling at the first tailgating party of the season. Mr. Flavor Mosaic is so excited about college football season starting again that he can hardly contain himself.

In addition to getting together with friends, he is all about the football, while I’m all about the food, like this Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad. I love all tortellini salads, especially this one, with its pillowy cheese stuffed pasta and fresh vegetables like broccoli, carrots, onions, and tomatoes. What really tops it off is that sweet and tangy dressy along with bits of real bacon! It is out of this world delicious!

It has started once again this year. Mr. Flavor Mosaic has bought all the college football magazines on the stands and studied the teams and players in his alma mater’s division. He has called all his football buddies and discussed and argued about how his team will do. He tells me how he thinks the teams will be ranked, and which teams have a good matchup. It all makes my head spin.

For me, I like the college football games because it gives us an excuse to get together with good friends and enjoy some awesome food. For this Labor Day get together, I’m making my Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad, but am reducing the sugar in it, but I can bet no one will suspect that I swapped SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetenerfor the sugar. Yeah, I’m sneaky like that sometimes! LOL! For more information and recipe ideas using SPLENDA® check out their website.

Since my Mother-in-Law and others in my extended family have to reduce the sugar in their diet, I’m trying to do my part because it will benefit us as well. While this Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad has lots of healthy vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and onions, it also has the not so healthy bacon!! But that adds so much flavor, who can resist?

The sweet and tangy dressing really takes this Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad over the top. It is amazing to me that 3 simple ingredients can combine to add so much flavor. What are they? Mayonnaise, Red Wine Vinegar, and SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener.

This Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad, like many other pasta salads, tastes better after it has been refrigerated for a while to allow the flavors in the salad and the dressing to fully develop. You could certainly make it a day ahead of your function, and it would taste great.

While I would love to invite all of you over to our Labor Day tailgating party, I just don’t think we have enough room for everyone. So I recommend making this Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad at your place and then come back here and leave a comment to tell me about your BBQ or tailgating party!

Tips For a Perfect Tortellini Salad

Cook The Tortellini for Time Specified. Don’t undercook or overcook the pasta. You don’t want it too spongy or have the tortellini lose its cheese filling in the boiling water. Cook to perfection. Turn on that timer and you will be fine.

Cook the vegetables before putting in the tortellini salad. Whether you blanch the vegetables for 3 minutes in boiling water or roast them in the oven first, this salad is best if the vegetables are fork tender before adding to this pasta salad.

Make ahead of time. This is the beauty of this tortellini as well as all pasta salads. You can make them the night before or even a few hours before and let them sit in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. this is not only convenient but it allows the flavors to fully develop so the salad and dressing are extremely flavorful.

What To Serve With Bacon Broccoli Tortellini Salad

Tortellini Salad makes a delicious side dish or barbecue or any main dish. Here are some of my favorites: